And Phibby Makes Four
by XellAn-Chan
Summary: the Hellmaster is given a second chance and joins the Metallium family...but he really is a child this time! PG for implied...stuff...in chapter 4 (part of my continuing saga)
1. And Phibby Makes Four

And Phibby Makes Four  
  
By XellAn-Chan  
  
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AN: this is a section of my XellAn Metallium series that features the Hellmaster, Phibrizio. I decided that i had to include him in my stories because he's cute and i love him, so i've given him a second chance as XellAn and Xellos "son." more of this will follow...so review. ^_^  
  
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"Tell me, My Child, how many years has it been since I returned your soul to you?" A very pretty blond woman, seated in a throne, her finger tips pressed together, asks her companion. "It was twelve years ago." The response comes from a young woman who looks to be about eighteen. "Twelve years already?" The first woman, who is none other than the creator of all, the Lord of Nightmares, ponders. "Twelve years...and the little one, she is four now?" The other woman nods. "Yes, L-Sama." She says quietly.  
  
The creator looks at her creation: the sullen, yet beautiful XellosAngel Metallium, mother of the most precious and powerful Mazoku. XellAn is one of the Beastmaster's minions -the servant to her priest- and had been for thirteen years, after being killed by Xellos.  
  
"XellosAngel," She goes on, "I am most pleased with your performance. I had my doubts when Xellos killed you, wondered if what he'd done was for the best. You have surpassed my expectations of you. You are giving Xellia an extraordinary life." The demon woman smiles slightly. She has the feeling that this is leading up to something, but is unsure what. "I have another job for you, XellosAngel, but I must make sure it is a task you can handle. ...has Xellia ever requested a sibling from you?"  
  
That is not a question XellAn ever would have expected to come from the creator's mouth. She is at a loss for words, then finally says. "Yes. Ever since she met the small Ryuzoku, Valgaav, she has been asking why she does not have a brother." She says slowly, "But surely, O Great One, you do not wish me to have another child. Cypress spoke of how close to death I was." The Lord of Nightmares smiles. "No, that is not what I had in mind. You and Xellos do not need to create another. If you remember," She pauses a moment, "It is also twelve years since I destroyed Phibrizio. I am beginning to think that, perhaps, he deserves a second chance."  
  
XellAn blinks. "You want me," She states placidly, as if it is no big deal, "To raise the Hellmaster." The creator shakes her head. "I do not wish you to raise the Hellmaster. I wish you to raise Phibrizio. Cypress rules the nine hells now. Phibrizio will be but a Mazoku child, quite the way you were. I will give him to you at the tender age of six, for then will he be an older brother to Xellia, but also very innocent and uncorrupted still. Raise him as you are your daughter."  
  
She snaps her fingers and a small, bewildered child steps from the shadows. He has dark hair that spills over his forehead and into his green eyes. "Phibrizio," She looks amused, "Do you know who I am?" He bows before her. "You are the mother of all that lives. Hail, Mighty Lord of Nightmares." She points at the demon woman. "That, Phibrizio, is XellosAngel. Do you know her?" He, having no recollection of his past, shakes his head. The creator's smile widens. "She is going to take care of you." The child smiles. "You are my mama?" He asks shyly.  
  
XellAn can't help but smile. He is a very cute little boy, his innocence is refreshing. "Yes, Phibrizio," She says softly, "I am your mama." He steps forward hesitantly, then stops. She holds a hand out to him. "It is okay. Come here." He clutches her hand in both of his. "Are you really my mama, XellosAngel?" He questions. She rests her other hand on his dark hair, "I am not the mama that created you, but I am going to be your mama from now on." He grins. "Good enough."  
  
"XellosAngel." The Lord of Nightmares' voice is full of warning, "Give him the best you can. His past existence is not to be repeated. I do not want him to remember." XellAn scoops him up into her arms. "He will not remember. I swear on my soul, he will not." She hugs him to her, fearful that he will know what they mean. But he just wraps his small arms around her and rests his head on her shoulder. The young woman relaxes a little. She feels some attachment to the former Hellmaster and knows she will come to love him.   
  
The Lord of Nightmares bids them leave and XellAn winks out of her temple and back to her home on Wolfpack Island. The room in the Beastmaster's palace that she and Phibrizio appear in is Xellia's room. The little girl isn't in there -she's somewhere with her father- so XellAn sits her "son" down on the bed. He yawns as he looks curiously around the small chamber.  
  
"Are you tired, Phibrizio?" She asks softly and he nods, so she goes on. "This is my daughter's room. You may sleep here until we have arranged something for you." He frowns slightly. "I have a sister?" A nod from his mama. "Yes. Her name is Xellia and she's four years old. She's wanted a brother for a year now." He nods, then yawns again. "Mama, if I go to sleep, will you still be here when I wake up?" He asks deliberately. "I may not be in this very room with you, Phibrizio, but I will be nearby." She assures him. She knows that L-Sama had left him to die. Now, apparently, he is afraid of being abandoned.  
  
Satisfied with her response, he settles down on the bed. She brushes his hair from his face. "Sleep well, Phibby-Kun." He smiles sleepily. "G'night, Mama." She tucks the blanket around him and sits on the bed until he is asleep.  
  
Then she leaves the room. Xellos needs to hear of this strange development in their lives. While he and Phibrizio had once been pals, she is sure he will not take well to the notion that the former Hellmaster was to be their child.  
  
The priest is in the temple, teaching his daughter to read. They are both seated on the floor, he with her on his lap. He's pointing to words in the Claire Bible and she is attempting to sound them out.  
  
"Xellos?" The young woman says softly, "I do not wish to interrupt, but this is very important." He looks up at her, then back at Xellia. "Aka-Chan, you run along and play. Mama wishes to speak to me." The little demon smiles. "Hai, Papa." Then she scampers off and Xellos arises.  
He and XellAn face one another. "What is it, XellAn-Chan? You look very troubled." He smiles his characteristic smile. She thinks for a moment. "Xel-Chan, you remember how Xellia asks about a brother?" One of his violet eyes winks open. "Are you trying to tell me that you are pregnant?" He questions. She frowns. "No. No, I am not. L-Sama has assigned me a task, however. I am to raise Phibrizio." She waits for the news to sink in. It takes only a moment. Then both his eyes are open and he stares at her. "She has given the Hellmaster his existence?! And you are his mother?!" She shakes her head. "He is but a child, Xellos. Cypress is the Hellmaster now. Phibrizio cannot know of his past."  
  
He looks at her a moment longer. "Why? Why is she doing this, XellAn? She's the one who killed him." XellAn searches for the right words. "She says that he deserves a second chance," She begins slowly, "That he will try again. Without the position of Hellmaster, perhaps he will not act so reckless and careless. He's only six years old, and I don't just mean physically. I mean mentally. And a more innocent child I've never seen. He calls me 'mama' already, Xellos. I do believe he will be happy here." His eyes meet hers and he knows she is sincere in her words. "You wish to keep him, don't you?" She nods. "Yes. I do." He sighs. "Very well." She kisses him. "It's not like we had a choice, but thank you anyway."  
  
They sit Xellia down and XellAn explains the situation to her. The boy, she tells her daughter, Phibrizio, he is to be your big brother. He was a gift for us from L-Sama." The child's eyes widen and sparkle with excitement. "Where? Where is my brother?" She asks eagerly. "He is asleep, XA-Baby. He was very tired." XellAn knows being reborn is an exhausting procedure. "But I wanna see him! I wanna play wif him now!" The child exclaims. "Not now, Xellia. You must wait." Her mother says patiently.  
  
"Mama?" Comes a childish voice from the doorway. Phibrizio has awoken and wandered into the room. XellAn turns to look at him. "You are awake, Phibby-Kun." She smiles, "Come here." He comes to here and clutches her hand. "What is the matter, Phibrizio?" Her hand rests on his hair, "This is your papa and your sister, Xellia." He smiles shyly from where he is hidden behind her. "Konnichi wa." Xellos grins. "Hullo, Phibby." Xellia studies him curiously. "This is my brother?" Her mother nods. "Yes."  
  
The little demon girl peers at him for a long time. She looks at him, at his dark hair (which is longer then hers), into his vivid green eyes, at his clothing (the exact same style as her own only blue and grey as opposed to her family's traditional red, purple and black.). Then she smiles. "You'll do, I guess."  
  
His face falls. "What did you expect?" He asks softly. She shakes her head, as if he knows nothing. "You are not at all like Val-Chan." She says plainly, "You look like a girl." His eyes fill up with tears. "Mama, she doesn't want me." XellAn smiles kindly as she hoists him into her arms. "Ne, Phibby-Kun, she just doesn't know you yet." He sniffles and buries his face in her shoulder. Xellia appears to be very upset. "You're not his mama! You're my mama!" She pouts. "She hates me!!" He sobs.  
  
"What is going on here!?" A sharp voice demands. the Beastmaster has appeared in the room, Xellos -who has filled her in on everything- is behind her. By this time, both children are crying. Xellia is clinging to her mother's skirt as XellAn rocks Phibrizio in her arms.  
  
Xellia is suddenly silent as she hides behind her mother. Phibrizio is still crying as XellAn rubs his back. "Please stop." She whispers, "It's okay..." He just cries harder. "Make him stop." Zelas orders. "I cannot make him. He will stop when he is ready." The young mother says softly. The Beastmaster eyes narrow. Xellia notices and grins. Now's her chance to get her "brother" in trouble. "I'm good, Ne, Juuou-Sama? I'm not crying. I know only weak Mazoku cry."   
  
The Mazoku Lord smiles at the little demon. "Yes, Little One, you are good. But Phibrizio has been reborn and he is in a new place; he must be scared." Xellos meanwhile, turns to his lover. "Let me take Phibby, XellAn, so you can tell Juuou-Sama what you told me." He holds out his arms and the little boy shrinks away. "Mama...no. I wanna stay with you..." He whimpers. "Go with Papa, Phibby-Kun. I need to talk to Juuou-Sama alone. Be Mama's good boy and go with Papa." She tells him calmly, "Can you do that?" He nods bravely and extends his small arms to Xellos.  
  
The priest takes him in his arms. "I'm not so bad, Phibby. C'mon, tell me and Xellia about yourself. She needs to learn about her brother and I need to know about my son." The boy smiles faintly and looks over his shoulder at XellAn. She nods encouragingly and he looks back at Xellos. "Hai, Papa." He says softly.  
  
He takes the two children into a corner of the room. Xellia listens as Phibrizio talks briefly about himself. There is not much for him to tell; he cannot remember a lot about who he is. But Xellos keeps his attention focused on the two women discussing the former Hellmaster's fate. He can hear bits and pieces of their conversation, XellAn pleading for the Beastmaster to accept Phibrizio as part of the family. "I do not wish to have another child in my palace." Comes the velvety voice of the Mazoku Lord. "But you didn't want Xellia either and you got used to her. You can get used to Phibrizio too!" Counters the desperate plea of XellAn, "And L-Sama requested I raise him. it was not my idea. I did not wish for this."  
  
Zelas is less than thrilled. She's glaring at XellAn as she explains L-Sama's request and she appears very angry. Phibrizio, knowing that they are talking about him, watches through his emerald eyes as the two interact. The Beastmaster looks particularity vicious and XellAn seems very frightened. He sees Zelas raise a hand to slap his mama and -in that single second- images flash before his eyes; memories he'd forgotten that he even had. The pitiless look of L-Sama, the pain, the blinding light engulfing him. Then nothing. Nothing for a long time, until his mama hugged him.  
  
He is instantly between his mama and the Mazoku Lord, his face shining with defiance. "Mama didn't do anything. I'm the one causing the problems. I will take whatever abuse you want to give Mama." Zelas stares at him for a moment, then a smile crosses her face. "Such nobility. What a loyal little creature. You may keep him, Pet." Phibrizio' childish grin lights his face. He jumps into XellAn's arms and she hugs him. "I'm proud of you, Phibby-Kun."  
  
This is too much for Xellia. "You don't love me!" She accuses, "You don't want me! Only Phibrizio! He's new, so he gets all the attention! What about me? Ain't I your Xa-Baby anymore?" XellAn and Phibrizio look at her. Her face is distorted with anger and her violet eyes are full of tears. Phibby slides out of his mama's arms. The two children look at one another. " 'M sorry if I'm not what you want," The former Hellmaster says softly, "But I'm gonna stay here and be yer brother forever. Mama promised. An' I don't understand why you don't like me." She glares at him. "I hate you!" And he disolves into tears again. Then he runs out of the room.  
  
XellAn starts after him, but Xellos stops her. "Let him be alone for a while." he picks Xellia up and hands her to her mother. The little girl is confused and her way of expressing her confusion is through anger. "I...I don't really hate him, Mama." She says very softly, "He's just so different from Valgaav. An' I...I..." She doesn't even know what to say. XellAn hugs her. "I know, Xa-Baby. You didn't mean it. I understand."  
  
When XellosAngel takes Xellia to put her to bed, they find Phibrizio already curled up on her bed. His face is wet from all the tears he cried and he's scrunched up in a little ball. Xellia climbs up and sits next to him among the pillows and blankets. "Phibby?" The girl asks quietly. "What?" His response is very soft and it's almost as if he didn't speak. "I'm sorry. I don't hate you. An' I do want you for my brother." He sits up and wipes his eyes. "I'm glad you changed your mind." He smiles slightly. "Are you gonna stay in here all night?" He shrugs. "I 'unno. Am I, Mama?" XellAn smiles. "If you want, I suppose. Papa can bring a bed for you."  
  
She settles her children down to sleep and Xellia gives two of her blankets and a pillow to Phibrizio. She hugs each of them and gives Phibrizio a kiss on his forehead. He looks at her sleepily. "...Will you still be here when I wake up?" He whispers. "Of course I will, Phibby-Kun. And Xellia and Papa will too. You are part of our family now." Then she pulls the blankets up around him and turns of the light. "Sleep well, My Little Ones."   
  
She finds Xellos waiting for her in their room. He's sitting on the bed, a ponderous look on his face. "We have another child, XA-Chan. He's not even ours, but we have him." She smiles. "He is very much ours, Xellos. L-Sama gave him to me. And as long as he's a good boy, she will have no reason to take him away." She sits beside him. "Our family keeps growing...It's never going to be just me and you again." That thought almost seems  
to make him sad. "Yes, there are four of us now." She rests her head upon his shoulder, "But you will come to love him. He will be your son. There is love in there somewhere, lost within your empty heart. You love me, you love Xellia and you will love Phibrizio." He smiles and they kiss. "You know me all too well, My Dear. It's you and me and Xellia and Phibby makes four."  
  
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	2. The Nightmare

The Nightmare  
  
By XellAn-Chan  
  
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~Laughter. Not his own, but some one's laughter. And a bright light encircling him. A woman with blond hair...the Lord of Nightmares! Other people, watching, not helping...it hurt so bad...and the light, swallowing him up, choking him, strangling him...intense pain...and then: Nothing.~  
  
"NOOOOOOO!!!!!"   
  
A frightened cry jerks little Xellia Metallium from her sleep. She sits up, peering through the darkness. Moonlight spills across the bed next to hers, revealing it to be empty. Where, she wonders, is Phibrizio? She climbs off her bed, her bare feet hit the cold stone floor. "Phibby?" She whispers. She can hear him crying, but is unsure where he is.  
  
He's scrunched up in the corner of the room, tears pouring from his emerald eyes. "No...no...no..." He repeats. The six year old boy is terrified of something, but Xellia, being only four herself, has no clue what. "...No...don't...'M sorry...I...I..." He babbles.  
  
Xellia looks at him sadly. Her mother had introduced him as her brother only a few hours earlier and she barely knows a thing about him, but she still feels sad. "Phibby?" She rests a small hand on his shoulder and he seems to snap out of his reverie. He looks at her, his eyes pooled with tears, and she wraps her arms around him in a hug. "Oh, Phibby...What's wrong?" She asks softly. "I...I don't know, Xellia. I remembered something, but now I don't know what." He whispers. "I'm scared, Xellia."   
  
She pulls him up off the floor. "C'mon. Mama'll make it better." She leads him down the hall to their parents' bedroom. "Mama? Papa? Wake up. Phibby's scared." She shakes her mother's arm, her other hand still clasped in her brother's. "Hm? What's wrong?" XellosAngel, their mother, asks in a voice heavy with sleep. "Mama...Mama, I had a nightmare..." Phibrizio crawls onto the bed with her and she hugs him to her. "What kind of nightmare, Phibby-Kun?" She asks softly. "I don't know...I remembered something, but I dunno from wehn or where..." He yawns. She strokes his long dark hair. "It's okay...It was only a dream..." She soothes. But, she wonders, was he dreaming of his past? Could he remember? That would only serve to cause problems for them all. He is precious to her already and she doesn't want him remembering his past.   
  
The children are both in need of comfort, are both frightened. Xellia is unnerved by her brother's response to his nightmare, Phibrizio frightened by the familiar vividness of the nightmare. So they spend the night with their parents, the small boy encirlcled protectively in XellAn's arms, the little girl between her mama and her papa.   
  
Phibrizio had never felt so safe and warm before as when he drifted of to sleep in his mama's arms. His mama...he'd never had one before. How glad he was that the Lord of Nightmares had given him a family. She loved him; he was sure of it. Some how, even though Mazoku were not meant to love, she loved him. He loved his mama as she loved him. He smiled as he sank into a dream world.   
  
And thus the Nightmare passed. 


	3. And the Memories Grow Black and White

The Memories Grow Black and White  
  
By XellAn-Chan  
  
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You are cordially invited to attend the tenth birthday party of Adlai Graywords,Princess of Saillune, on Saturday the fifth at the Royal Palace in Saillune. Please come; we are looking forward to seeing you. RSVP regrets only.  
  
"Looking forward to seeing us? I highly doubt that Zelgadiss is looking forward to seeing us." Xellos Metallium scoffs as he reads the invitation in his lover's hand. "I suppose Amelia wrote the invitation." The young woman agrees, "And look, Phibrizio wasn't invited, because no one knows we have him. Do you think they'll mind if we bring him?" The priest frowns. "They better not. Because I won't leave my son behind." A smile crosses her face. Xellos has, as has she, gotten used to the idea that the former Hellmaster is their child.  
  
"Xellia, Phibrizio, come here please!" XellAn calls their children. The little girl runs in, her violet hair flying around her face. The boy follows behind her slowly; everything he does is deliberate. They stand before their parents, waiting to see what is so important. "What Mama? What?" Xellia is rather impatient. Their mother smiles. "Do you remember Adlai, Xa-baby?" She asks her daughter. The little girl thinks for a moment. "...Val's friend?" "That's right. It's her birthday soon and her Mama and Papa are having a party for her." "A party?" "Just like we have for you, with ice cream and everything." Xellia's birthday was celebrated a lot like Christmas. She was, after all, a very important Mazoku. "Val will be there, right?" was her next question. "Probably." Comes the response. She's thrilled. "Yatta!!"  
  
Phibrizio doesn't look anywhere near as excited. "I won't know any one, Mama. I don't wanna go." She smiles, knowing he is somewhat shy, and picks him up. "You won't know any one if you don't go meet them, Phibby-Kun." XellAn tells him softly. "I don't wanna." He repeats. "I am sorry, Little One, but you are going."  
  
Saturday dawns bright and sunny, which makes Xellia even more excited. It does nothing, however, to brighten Phibrizio's mood. He clings to his mother, buries his face in her shoulder, as they walk into the royal palace in Saillune.  
  
They are shown into the room of the party by a maid and Xellia scampers right over to her friends. "Adlai! Zelig! Hiya! Hi, Gowan!" She looks around, "Where's Valgaav? An' who's that?"   
  
Adlai, the birthday girl, and her brother Zelig look exactly the same as she remembers. Gowan's hair is a bit longer and falls in his eyes. The other girl is his sister, Leala, who was just a baby when Xellia met her.   
  
Without waiting for a response, the little demon goes on. "I have a big brother now too. His name is Phibrizio. See, Mama's got him."  
  
Amelia, meanwhile, goes to greet the demons, but stops when she sees the small boy in XellAn's arms. She goes and finds Zelgadiss and they confer together for a moment. "Is that," The princess whispers, "Phibrizio in her arms? Isn't he dead?" He husband frowns. "L-Sama did kill him...but it sure looks like him."  
  
Gourry, at this time, greets Xellos with a hand shake. He says hello to XellAn, then asks about the boy. "Who's this?" The young woman smiles. "This is Phibrizio. He's a little shy." She tells the swordsman. He scratches his head. "I didn't know you had another kid." He sounds confused. "He was a present from L-Sama." "Oh."  
  
Something sparks a memory in Phibrizio's mind, something about the sound of Gourry's voice, and he pulls his head away from his mama's shoulder. He looks at the blond and Gourry looks back at him, at his innocent expression. Blue meets emerald as they stare at one another. For a second, Gourry remembers Phibrizio, but the recognition is gone once the boy turns away.  
  
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Leala comes toddling over. Gourry scoops her up. "Hi, La-Chan." He grins as she hugs him. "She's gotten so big." XellAn comments. He smiles proudly. "She's two." Phibrizio looks at the little girl. She's grinning broadly, her hair falls in golden curls around her angelic face and her sky blue eyes sparkle. The small boy whimpers slightly and clings tighter to his mother.  
  
Amelia has called Lina into the small conference. the red-head looks ill at the thought that Phibrizio is in Saillune. Sure, she'd had her part in destroying him, but it'd nearly destroyed her in the process. And Gourry...the Hellmaster had kidnapped him!  
  
"What are you three whispering about?" Xellos has appeared in the midst of their huddle. Three sets of eyes wander to where XellAn stands holding Phibrizio. Xellos' gaze follows theirs. He smiles knowingly. "You recognized him. And now you are afraid." He states.  
  
"Is it...is it really him?" Lina asks weakly, "The Lord of Nightmares killed him...when I cast the Giga Slave. Is it him?" Xellos grins. "Sore wa himitsu desu!" Zelgadiss grabs him by the collar. "Don't play games with me, Xellos! You're not going to ruin my daughter's birthday. Is it him, or isn't it?"  
  
The priest grins as Zelgadiss glares at him from under his dark brown hair. He is reveling in the fear they are all experiencing. Zel's cobalt eyes are piercing him like knives, yet, somehow, he is not as threatening as before. Perhaps it is because he is human...  
  
Xellos sighs. "It is Phibrizio and he is very much alive. But he is no longer Hellmaster and he knows absolutely nothing of the time in which he was. He's just a shy little boy." Lina raises an eyebrow. "A shy little demon boy." A nod from the priest. "Yes, but he is not your typical Mazoku. He cries a lot. He has nightmares. The past plagues him, yet he knows nothing about it. It would be best if he -and Gourry, for that matter- do not recall the Giga Slave incident."  
  
Filia arrives with Valgaav while Xellia is busy trying to persuade her brother to play with the other children. When the small demon sees her beloved friend, she gives up on Phibrizio and runs towards the dragon. "Val!!!" He, much to Filia's dismay, grins and catches her up in a hug.  
  
The kids run outside together, all of them but Phibrizio. He falls asleep in XellAn's arms and she lays him across the loveseat. She forgets about him; leaves him there. When he wakes up and doesn't see her, he cries. And Gourry finds him.  
  
"Why're you crying, Phibrizio?" The swordsman asks. "Where's m-my mama?" The child sobs, "Sh-she went away an'...an' left me here!" Gourry smiles kindly. "Your mommy didn't go away." He lifts the boy off the couch, "C'mon, we'll go find her."  
  
Phibrizio and Gourry look at one another for the second time and there is something between them again, but neither is sure exactly what. Every time their eyes meet, there is some familiarity that they both feel, like they know each other. But from where? And how?  
  
The little boy doesn't like the creepy feeling eh gets when he looks in the blonds eyes, so he turns away. "Where is my mama?" He asks softly. "She's outside with your sister. We'll go find her." The child is silent for a moment. "Gourry-San, you are Gowan and Leala's papa, ne?" He asks. "Yeah." "And Lina-San is their mama?" "That's right." "And you'd never hurt them, right?" "No. Why? Do your mommy and daddy hurt you?" "...No. But some one did. I just can't remember." He sighs. "Don't feel too bad. I never remember things." Gourry smiles. "But...it's something important; somethin' I should remember." He frowns, "An' when I look at you, I start to remember, but then I ferget again." The swordsman nods. "I know whatcha mean, Kiddo. You remind me of some one, but I don't know who."  
  
XellAn is pleased to see her small son talking to some one other than his family for a change. She takes him from the swordsman and he smiles. "Missed ya, Mama." She hugs him. "Are you goingto play now? Xellia wants you to meet the other children." He nods. "I guess so." He says softly. "That's my good boy." She watches as he shyly joins his sister and her firends. It makes her happy to see him opening up.  
  
Xellia, Adlai, Gowan and Valgaav run around together, playing a tag of some sorts, with Lealascampering behind and trying to keep up. Phibrizio joins Zelig in his sandbox. The small prince is the exact oposite of his sister, very quiet and introverted, despite the fact that she is the one who inherited their father's curse. "May I paly with you?" Phibby asks quietly. Zelig nods. "Guess so." The two boys putter around for a while before they begin to talk. "How old are you?" The prince asks. " 'M six." "Me too! ...My daddy had a curse on him, but Mommy loved him any way. That's why Addy's blue." "Papa's a priest."  
  
XellAn and Amelia watch their sons. "Is he really the same demon who was the Hellmaster?" The princess questions. "Yes." XellAn nods, "But he is not the Hellmaster any more and never will be again." "So he's just a little boy now?" "He's just a little boy."  
  
  
The priestess Slyphiel arrives while they are outside. She's a pretty girl, with long dark hair and a smile on her face. But her happiness masks a great displeasure. The reasons for her sadness are a mystery to XellAn, but they taste good -a mixture of jealousy, self-pity and angiush- and the demon woman is curious.  
  
So she asks Lina about the priestess. "What's wrong with her? Why is she so unhappy?" The sorceress sighs. "She hates to see our kids." A strange look crosses XellAn's face. "Why?" She gives a side-long glance at the other woman. "Because of how she feels about Gourry. She loves him. And there were times I was afraid he'd go off with her. I guess hse never got over him." A nod from the demon. "I understand. Her pain tastes extraordinary. She must be suffering greatly."  
  
Phibrizio too feels the priestess' pain. It seeps into him, his first real "meal" since eh was reborn, and he smiles to himself as he eats it up. Every one else at the party is quite happy and carefree. Only Slyphiel is upset about anything and her raw emotions are as delectable as any gourmet food.  
  
The priestess greets the birthday girl warmly then proceeds to say hello to all the children in turn. There are hellos for Valgaav and Gowan, a curious look at Xellia (whom, she realizes instantly, is Xellos' daughter)and when Leala hugs her, fresh emotions spill forth. the toddler looks just like her father and that causes Slyphiel much grief.  
  
Then she comes to the sandbox. Zelig is greeted pleasantly enough, but Phibrizio...she's speechless when she sees him. The way she looks at him makes him uncomfortable. As he stares at her through wide emerald eyes, images flash through his mind. Then he begins to cry. "What's wrong, Phibby?" Zelig asks, "Why're ya cryin'?" The demon sniffles. "I keep rememberin' bad things. An' 'm scared. Where'd Mama go?" The other boy points. "She's over there with Filia-San."  
  
Slyphiel watches as the boy goes crying to his mother. Then she looks back at the prince. "What did you say his name was, Zelig-Kun?" She asks. "Phibby." The boy responds. She turns pale. "Is it just 'Phibby' or is it short for something?" She goes on. "His real name's Phibrizio. Some a us just call 'im Phibby." "Oh..."  
  
She looks at him again. He is in his mother's arms, his face buried in her shoulder. XellAn is still taking to Filia and Slyphiel wonders just who she is, where she came from, and why the Hellmaster is her child.  
  
Her curiosity gets the better of her and she approaches the two women. Up close, the Mazoku looks to be no more than a teenager. "Excuse me," She says politely, "But I don't believe we've met." The young woman smiles placidly. "Konnichi wa." Her voice is light, with a seductive air, "You are the priestess Slyphiel, ne?" She's a little taken aback. "I am." A pause. "Who are you?" The young woman's smile widens. "My name is XellosAngel Metallium." "You are a relation of the priest's" She questions the demon. "You might say that." Comes the off-handed response, "I am the mother of his child."  
  
That is not what Slyphiel expected. "The little purple-haired girl, she's your daughter?" A nod. "Hai. And this is our son, Phibrizio." XellAn's saying that makes it true, There had been a slight chance that Zelig had been wrong. "You mean the-" She begins. XellAn cuts her off. "No." She says firmly, "I know what you are going to say. The answer is 'no.' He's not." Slyphiel blinks. "He looks just like him." Th demon nods. "Of course he does. He was him." The priestess backs away. Phibrizio pulls his head away from XellAn's shirt and looks at her. "Why is she afraid, Mama?" His mother smiles sadly. "You remind her of some one, Phibby-Kun." "Who?" "It was along time ago. it doesn't matter." She assures him and he lays his head back on her shoulder.  
  
He is still in her arms when Martina, Zangulas and their children show up. The four older kids run off to play, the youngest clings to her mother's hand. When Martina sees Phibrizio, she recognizes him as the little boy she'd given a piggy-back ride to. "Hey Cutey." She grins, "What're you doing here?" He blinks his large eyes. "Why wouldn't I be here? Mama brought me to have fun."  
  
XellAn freezes. Martina knows Phibrizio. She was around when he had been Hellmaster. "Phibby-Kun, why don't you go play with Zelig again?" He smiles. "M'kay." And slides out of her arms. Then she looks at the aqua-haired woman. "Do not do that." Martina blinks. "Do what?" "Remind him of things he should not remember." The former princess gives her a funny look and she goes on. "He is not the same Phibrizio you met. He's only a little boy now, not the Hellmaster. And he doesn't know what he used to be. So please don't remind him." "Oh. Okay."  
  
All of them are puzzled by what Phibrizio has become. He was, at one time, the strongest Mazoku under Shabranigdo. Now he is a scared child, which makes it even stranger. Mazoku are not supposed to have fear. He is an attractive child, and looks the way he did as Hellmaster, but the innocence lighting his eyes now truly is innocence.  
  
The hostility towards the small demon begins to wan. He is a charming little boy, very shy and reserved, and it is hard not to like him. But Phibrizio, he just doesn't feel comfortable. He feels like he should know them all, like he'd met them before. And it bothers him that he cannot remember.  
  
So he spends a lot of time clinging to XellAn, his face buried in her shoulder. Looking at them is what causes the flashbacks, so he doesn't want to see them. Xellia, on the other hand, scampers around between her friends, quite the little socialite.  
  
Adlai is quite the happy birthday girl. Her father dotes on her, her mother adores her and she the is heir to the throne of Saillune. Zelgadiss, in actuality, feels quite guilty after what he'd "done" to his daughter. She'd inherited his curse and, although Amelia had no problems with bearing his "cute little chimera children," he felt horrible that his daughter was stuck with the traits that had made his life hell.  
  
Phibrizio was curious about Adlai and Valgaav. It' not often you see a human child with blue skin or a horn. So he asked them about their unique traits. "Val-San, why do you have a horn?" He asks softly. "I am a Ryuzoku. Ryuzoku have horns." Phibby nods. "I see." Then he goes to Adlai. Zelig had made a comment about her skin color, and it had got him curious. "Why is your skin like that, Addy-San?" She blinks her narrow cobalt eyes. "Mom says it's because she loved Daddy while he was still cursed. He looked worse than me. But love conquers all and I was born."  
  
The boy becomes very quiet and it is obvious he is deep in thought. He looks very ponderous for the rest of the day and remains that way until XellAn puts him to bed.  
  
"Mama? Why don't I have a birthday? When was I born? Where did I come from?" He asks quite seriously. She brushes the hair from his eyes. "You have a birthday, Phibby-Kun. The day you came to me is your birthday. Where you came from does not matter. What matters is that you are my son and I love you." She tells him softly.  
  
"Why did it seemed like I knew all of them? Why was I so uncomfortable? Why were they afraid of me?" He asks sleepily. "Child, humans always fear the unknown. But they now love you. You seem to know them because they are my friends and Papa's friends, and the love we have for them is the same as we have for you." She does not know what to tell him, so she says anything she can. "Now go to sleep, Little One. Do not fret over memories that are not real."  
  
He yawns and closes his eyes. She kisses his forehead, shuts off the light and leaves the room. His memories are very real and she knows they will only cause difficulties.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
AN: about the names of the Slayers' children  
Gowan: a name that (i think) refers to flowing water...i gave him this name as some one who will be a sorceror and conjure water spells.  
Leala: means "faithful." this name was given to her because of Gourry's devotion to Lina.  
Adlai: refers to nobility...she is the crown princess...  
Zelig: "blessed" i don't know why i named him this, it just seemed good. 


	4. Linked

Linked  
  
By XellAn-Chan  
  
**********************  
  
The tears come slowly at first, then fall quick as any down-pour. They slide off the young woman's face and onto her shirt, causing dark spots to appear on the black fabric. The source of her anguish is the small boy sleep in her lap. He'd woken up screaming, terrified of things that he should not have remembered.  
  
"XA-Chan, let him be." Comes a soft voice from the doorway. She looks up. There stands Xellos, his slender body illuminated by the faint light shinning from the corridor. "I can't leave him here...he's just a child. He doesn't understand..." She replies wearily.  
  
He walks into the room and over to where she sits on the bed. Gently, he takes the child from her arms, lays him upon the mattress and covers him with the blankets. "XellAn," His voice, though a whisper, is very serious, "You cannot keep the past from him. Things happen, people remember. You know the pain of your mortal life will never be gone. His memories are much the same way. He is chained to his past. There will come a day that Phibrizio remembers who he is. You cannot stop it."  
  
"I want to." She says softly, "How do you think he will feel when he finds out what he did? He is too innocent." She bows her head, a few more tears sliding off her cheeks. He gathers her in his arms and leads her from the room. "You feel guilty, ne?" She nods. "You didn't do anything, My Dear. There is no reason. He looks to you for reassurance, but you won't ever be able to protect him the way you do Xellia." He says, referring to their daughter, "Because he was a gift, not something that is a part of you."  
  
"I wish he was. I wish he'd been inside of me, killing me slowly, like Xellia did. I want him to be mine." She sobs into the priest's shirt. "You do not. You hated me for that. You swore we'd never create life again." He reminds her. "But...but I love him. I want him to be wholly mine, not mine because L-Sama gave him to me." Her pain is feeding him, but it tastes rancid. He wants it to stop. "She gave us Xellia too, XellAn. Just in a different way." She sighs. "It's not the same. Don't you remember?"   
  
A grin lights his face. "I member when I moved in you. Your holy dark was moving too. I loved every minute of it. But I also remember how it hurt you to carry her, how she drew the life out of you every second she was there. I was afraid then; I experienced fear for the first time, and I didn't like it." He frowns then and she looks up at him. A strange passion fills her at the sight of his displeasure. "I am sorry, Lover." Her head rests upon his chest.  
  
"Why are you so attached to him, XellAn? Why? He shouldn't matter to you." The one thing Xellos does not understand is what causes her to love the Hellbrat so. "He held my soul in his hand, Xellos. He owned me. I am forever chained to him now." A trace of a smile crosses his face. "We all are. And I am forever chained to you." He's testing her, seeing what she will allow, for it has been very long since they'd done anything remotely naughty together.  
  
She grins as he leads her slowly into their room. "Make me happy. Make me glad I love you and I died for you. And don't stop until I tell you to." He kisses her, softly at first, his desires mounting as he pulls her to him. "How I love you, XA..." She closes her eyes, ready to accept him into her soul, but...  
  
"MAMAAAAAA!!!!!!!" Phinrizio's terrified cry echoes down the hall.   
  
Sighing, she pulls away from Xellos. "...No..." He murmurs sadly. But he understands how everything she does is from the depths of her soul, and her every act is selfless. "I am sorry, Love, but the chains are just too strong..." And he slumps down on the satin sheets as she slinks out of the room, blowing a kiss on the way.   
  
*************************  
AN: i decided to see how Phibby's memories were affecting his parents...sucky chapter, but i'm going nowhere with this, i needed something. 


End file.
